ZOM – Multiversal Holocaust 7”
If Sodom and Hellhammer had warp-driven our way via Alpha Centauri, they would sound like ZOM. Multiversal Holocaust, the latest batshit awesome, cosmological release by these Dubliner black/deathsters terrifies in ways astoundingly “out there” and utterly familiar all at once. Bassist/vocalist Chthon’s snarl arrives on Earth buried, drowning in enough delay to double as the thrills and chills-inducing voice of one cannibalistic alien menace, commanding court on Friday night ’50s sci-fi flick, his distorted laserbass raging loud enough to nuke everything else in the mix (a la ’80s Voivod). Even the attempt to sew perversity and space genocide together into any kind of potent subject matter would require no small amount of risk (or sack), but to do so successfully would be about as likely as your favorite green-skinned pole dancer actually liking you (unless, of course, you’re Captain Kirk). But ZOM dares and, in so doing, dominates, from the scream-laden, harrowing intro of the title track that I actually considered moving past before my Metal fearlessness reared up, to the manic Repulsion riffage and pace of ‘Terror of the Cosmos’, this 11-minute opus had me peering up at the sky in fear of a demonic, inter-dimensional deathstrike headed our way. And that, my friends, if you’ve been paying attention – is to me (and the like-minded) a welcome thing. Yet another ZOM release is also on the way this summer – a full length – so give yourself a couple early Solstice gifts and grab both this 7” and their upcoming, self-titled 12” dropping in July. -Jim Clifton
Iron Bonehead Productions
Worm Gear 